Dinner again...

So, enough of my philosophical musings. Let's talk food. 

I made dinner for four people the other night. I made: 

Risotto: Butternut Squash, Maple-Cured Bacon, Crispy Sage

Crispy Roasted Duck: Haricot Vert, Watercress, Vinaigrette

Two very simple dishes, but fairly tasty and easy to serve to many people at once. Boston in the Spring can be a bit chill, and I find duck and risotto to be optimal comfort foods. The key with duck is to let it roast for three hours on 250, allowing the fat to drain out of the skin through holes that you have poked in it. Then you raise the temperature up high (375) and let it get a little smoky (turn off the fire alarm) so that the skin crisps. I did some things wrong here, so learn from my mistakes. First, you have to turn the duck breast side down for those three hours. In my haste to get it in the oven, I forgot this for the first hour and not enough of the fat drained out. So, not crispy enough. Second, I couldn't make up for this mistake when I turned up the temp. because I allowed some of the fat to drip down to the bottom of the oven. That's a real problem, because duck fat burns at low temperatures, and smokes a lot. Also, you must have the duck directly on a rack if you don't have a proper roasting pan, or nothing will ever get crispy because it will roast in its own juices. Now, no one was complaining about the duck, but these are things that can be prevented. 

Risotto has a pretty good wow factor, partially because you can't make it ahead. If you have an open kitchen, you can mingle and make your risotto while your guests enjoy cocktails and marvel at your culinary prowess :) My risotto needed more butter and half and half at the end. This makes a world of difference. As it was, my risotto got a bit too gloppy, and much less smooth than I prefer. I also could have used a dash more stock at the end. You have to be careful about your stock, because if you use too much at the end you're going to come out with something like rice soup. If you use too little, you get the consistency of oatmeal. You have to taste it constantly to make sure you're going to reach al dente at the right moment. In short: simple concept, temperamental process. 

Now, if you want something that is easily made ahead, then you can make pasta. I make ravioli because you can roll it and cut it without the aid of a machine. That's probably my next dinner escapade. Honestly, I made so much of it not too long ago that I felt like I was becoming a one hit wonder and decided to move on to other things. However, like my defunct penchant for Lady Gaga, I feel like it might be a good time to bring back an old favorite. What should I put in my ravioli, dear readers? What delicious cheeses, vegetables, or meats can I shove into my protean pieces of pasta? Are ravioli sexy?  I welcome your commentary on this matter, as well as people willing to taste my culinary cornucopia. All right, I'm done with the alliteration. Seriously.

I bid you peace.